All posts by z3u9t.icu

Liverpool have enjoyed a rather successful start to their season with Jurgen Klopp’s side currently unbeaten across the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup.

However, there is one player that has not been a massive part of Liverpool’s season so far that could be on their way out of the Merseyside club in the near future.

What’s the news?

It has recently been reported by The Mirror that Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain could be looking for a way out of Liverpool to get more game time elsewhere and save his career.

Liverpool signed Oxlade-Chamberlain back in the 2017 summer transfer window from fellow Premier League side Arsenal for a fee of £35m.

Since then, the 28-year-old, who is currently valued at £16.2m according to Transfermarkt, has made 109 appearances for the Reds across all competitions in which he has managed to score 14 goals and provide 12 assists in the process.

So far this season, the Englishman, who is currently earning a weekly wage of £120k-per-week according to Spotrac, has made just five appearances across all competitions for Jurgen Klopp’s side, starting just two of them.

Time to move on

Taking into account how Oxlade-Chamberlain, who has been labelled as “outstanding” by Klopp in the past, has been very unlucky with his injury issues during his time with the Merseyside club, this is undoubtedly a factor that must be acknowledged regarding his lack of games since his arrival.

That being said, we feel that if Oxlade-Chamberlain thinks it would be a better option for him and his career to leave Liverpool and join a club where he would be playing regularly, then the Reds should definitely consider letting him go.

They must do so if they get a financial offer they deem suitable for the player either in the upcoming January transfer window or the next summer window. After all, they cannot continue to pay someone who has missed so much football.

The attacking midfielder has missed 72 matches during his Liverpool career, sitting on the treatment table for a period of 493 days. It’s been a sad few years for Oxlade-Chamberlain but unfortunately, now is the time for Klopp to wield the axe on his time in Merseyside.

Whether or not any club would be willing to take a gamble on a player like that only time will tell, but we feel it would be in Liverpool’s best interests to get his salary off their wage bill.

In other news: 100% ground duels lost: Klopp surely worried about “exceptional” Liverpool gem on loan – opinion

No talks have taken place between Lewis O’Brien and Leeds United over a summer move, according to Yorkshire Post journalist Leon Wobschall.

The Lowdown: O’Brien linked with Leeds move

O’Brien has been a key player for Huddersfield Town in recent years, making 80 Championship appearances in the last two seasons.

The 22-year-old has been linked with a summer move for Leeds, however, with Marcelo Bielsa potentially seeing him as a good squad depth addition with plenty of room to develop at such a young age.

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The Latest: Journalist provides update

Despite the Whites’ apparent interest, however, a fresh update has been provided by Wobschall on Twitter.

He confirmed Huddersfield head coach Carlos Corberan’s comments regarding a possible move to Elland Road, saying there have been “no talks with Leeds United”.

That suggests O’Brien could stay put at the Championship club and leave for free next summer, with his current deal expiring in 2022.

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The Verdict: Not a must-need signing

Not signing O’Brien would be no great loss for Leeds, considering he is unlikely to come in as a key man for Bielsa’s side.

That being said, acquiring the midfielder’s signature would still represent positive news, considering he would add depth in the middle of the park behind Kalvin Phillips and won Huddersfield’s Player of the Year award in 2019/20.

The fact that the Terriers could lose O’Brien on a free transfer next year could make them more willing to accept an offer, so it will be interesting to see if anything develops over the final weeks of the window.

In other news, a fresh update regarding Leeds’ interest in one player has emerged. Find out who it is here.

A number of Wolves supporters are delighted after Bruno Lage provided a positive injury update regarding long-term absentee Pedro Neto.

The young Portuguese was a star figure for much of last season, scoring five goals and registering six assists in the Premier League.

Unfortunately, he was struck down with a cruel injury blow towards the end of the campaign, suffering a serious knee issue.

The winger hasn’t featured for Wolves in the seven months since his setback but a positive update has finally arrived regarding his recovery.

Speaking to the press on Friday [via Talking Wolves on Twitter], Lage confirmed that the 21-year-old will be back at Wolves in a few days and could start working outside at the training ground.

Wolves fans delighted with Neto update

It is big news for Wolves considering Neto’s influence last season – he was their joint-highest rated player for 2020/21 according to WhoScored – and these fans took to Twitter to show their happiness over the “unreal” maestro’s looming comeback.

“Going to win the Prem once he gets back”

Credit: @addiraesimp

“Stick this fella in our squad… so many attacking options!”

Credit: @OutofDarkness19

“Couple days?? I smell a title charge”

Credit: @haydenbd_

“Yeah, we are getting Europe”

Credit: @tylerwwfc

“Ahhh, he’s gonna be unreal when he’s back”

Credit: @eve_elizabethxx

“Neto, Raul, Hwang is gonna be absolutely ridiculous”

Credit: @adenwwfc_

In other news, this Premier League star has gushed over one Wolves player. Find out who it is here.

Jesse Lingard is still on the radar of West Ham United as he seems ‘certain to leave’ Manchester United in the near future…

What’s the word?

90min journalist Toby Cudworth delivered a fresh update on the 28-year-old’s situation earlier this week, although he may not be as big a priority as before.

“#WHUFC & Jesse Lingard as I understand it: Certain to leave Man Utd. West Ham interest remains. He’s not necessarily the priority,” he tweeted.

Cudworth added: “Hlozek interest v[ery] real and a better long-term option” and “Barca, Atleti & Milan options abroad for Lingz”.

It comes after The Times revealed that the England international had no intention of restarting negotiations with Manchester United because of his frustrations at the club’s behaviour during discussions earlier this season.

Get it done, Newman!

Whilst Lingard may no longer be a priority for David Moyes and co, it would be a wise decision to bring the Old Trafford outcast back to the London Stadium this January.

Nearly a year ago, the English playmaker joined the club on loan and provided a vital contribution in the Irons sealing Europa League qualification, having delivered nine goals and five assists across 16 appearances. Only Tomas Soucek and Michail Antonio scored more goals for West Ham in 2020/21.

Summer signing Nikola Vlasic has flattered to deceive since replacing Lingard at the club, and given his versatility, he can not only be a no.10 but also play out wide and provide backup to Michail Antonio at centre-forward.

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Furthermore, Said Benrahma is expected to miss several games at the start of next year due to his likely contribution at the Africa Cup of Nations for Algeria. His absence on the left-flank will be sorely missed but the return of Lingard could certainly aid that.

Moyes and his assistant manager Stuart Pearce have never kept their interest a secret.

After the final game of last season, the Scotsman seemingly urged the £19.8m-rated star to remain at the Hammers. “I hope Jesse’s here, we’d like to keep him, he’s done an exceptional job for us but there’s no guarantees, he’s not our player,” he said (via the Evening Standard).

Pearce told talkSPORT back in August: “We would like him to come and join us. That has been an open secret. He was wonderful last year.”

A large majority of the London Stadium faithful also want his return, having reacted to similar reports earlier this month. As relayed by Hammers.News, many would be super excited and keen to see him back.

Similarly, in a previous poll conducted recently by Football FanCast, around 89% of more than 400 supporters claimed that they would be delighted if he re-signed for the club.

Therefore, this latest development should have a lot of the fanbase ecstatic. Lingard must return in January, especially as he has unfinished business here in east London.

AND in other news, Daniel Kretinsky could be key to West Ham landing January target…

West Bromwich Albion have been handed a major boost in their bid to keep Sam Johnstone at The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by ExWHUemployee (via WBA Report), with the West Ham United insider stating that David Moyes’ side had opted to pursue a deal for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola ahead of the Albion shot-stopper.

It is reported that the Hammers had been locked in negotiations with West Brom regarding a deal for the England international, however, with the Premier League side reluctant to pay the £12m the Baggies were demanding for the 28-year-old, Moyes turned his focus back to Areola.

And, after West Ham completed their deal for the PSG ‘keeper on Thursday afternoon, the Irons’ pursuit of Johnstone now appears to be over.

Fans will be buzzing

With West Ham having always looked to be the most likely destination for Johnstone this summer, the fact that the club have now landed another target in the position would seem to have drastically increased West Brom’s chances of retaining their number one ahead of next season, something that is sure to have left Albion fans buzzing.

And, should the club go on to keep hold of the 28-year-old come the end of August, it would undoubtedly provide Valerien Ismael with a huge boost to his chances of securing an immediate return to the top flight next season, as, despite Albion’s struggles last time out, Johnstone proved himself as one of the club’s most influential players.

Indeed, over his 37 Premier League appearances last term, the £7.2m-rated man kept six clean sheets, made an average of 4.5 saves per game and stopped a total of a whopping 166 shots over the course of the season.

These returns saw the player Steve Bruce dubbed a “diamond” earn a highly impressive average SofaScore match rating of 7.03, ranking him as Albion’s second-best performer in the top flight of English football.

As such, with there currently not looking too many avenues out of West Bromwich for Johnstone, the £28k-per-week could well be set to remain at The Hawthorns next season, something that appeared an almost impossible scenario a couple of months ago.

In other news: Imagine him & Mowatt: West Brom initiate talks for 26y/o, he makes a “big difference”

According to a report by the Daily Mail, Tottenham Hotspur have now become one of the teams interested in signing Sheffield United keeper Aaron Ramsdale this summer.

The Lowdown: Lloris replacement?

As long-time number one Hugo Lloris’ future hangs in the balance at Tottenham, and with no new deal agreed yet, links will keep emerging to his possible heir.

The Frenchman has been a mainstay for Tottenham since he signed from Lyon in the summer of 2012, making 373 appearances for the Lilywhites in all competitions (Transfermarkt).

His current contract expires at the end of next season, though, with Spurs seemingly contemplating his replacement between the sticks.

The Latest: Spurs now want Ramsdale…

As per the Daily Mail, Spurs are now looking at Blades keeper Ramsdale and could offer him a route back into the Premier League after he was relegated last season.

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Named on England’s standby list for Euro 2020, the 23-year-old finished 2020/2021 as, arguably, one of the Yorkshire side’s bright sparks in what was a disappointing campaign.

Wolves are also said to be eyeing a move for the 6 foot 2 Ramsdale but Spurs are now ‘planning’ for life without Lloris as he continues to be linked with a move away.

The Verdict: Good shout?

He has no shortage of praise from both coaching staff at Bramall Lane and big name pundits.

Alan Shearer, for example, told the Premier League’s YouTube channel recently that Ramsdale is ‘strong’ and ‘fearless’ whilst carrying ‘lots of potential’.

Meanwhile, former Blades interim manager Paul Heckingbottom also lauded him as ‘excellent’ for his end of season form (Yorkshire Post).

As a result, we believe he should definitely be considered at the very least – especially given his potentially cheap price tag after Sheffield United’s relegation.

In other news: ‘Sources close…’ – Journalist shares exciting transfer development at Spurs, find out more here.

Keeping hold of Declan Rice and Jarrod Bowen was good business for West Ham, says former Premier League midfielder Carlton Palmer.

As per The Telegraph, both Manchester United and Chelsea were interested in signing Rice. Elsewhere, The Athletic reported that Bowen was on Liverpool’s radar as Jurgen Klopp considered bringing in another attacking player during the summer transfer window.

Both players ended up staying at the London Stadium, however, and Palmer has hailed the Hammers for keeping hold of the £90m-rated English duo.

Speaking exclusively to TT about Rice and Bowen, the ex-England international said:

“I think it’s good business for West Ham that they’ve kept those players, but obviously the valuations of the players are really high. So as far as I’m concerned, nobody was going to pay the type of money they were asking for.”

Having kept the likes of Rice and Bowen, West Ham look to be in for another strong season.

While it is obviously early days, the Hammers are currently second in the Premier League, two points behind London rivals Tottenham.

It gives them something to really build on after the international break, while they will also have European football to look forward to.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an exciting Newcastle United transfer update as deadline day looms closer.

What’s the story?

According to recent reports from The Shields Gazette, Steve Bruce’s side have made their checks on Liverpool’s Kabak, with QPR’s Rob Dickie and former Celtic star Kristoffer Ajer also those who have said to have been scouted.

Now, Romano has delivered an update on where things stand with the Magpies’ pursuit of Kabak.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Torino have made a bid to sign former Liverpool centre back Özan Kabak. €1.5m loan fee plus buy option, Schalke refused as they want permanent deal. Talks on. #transfers Newcastle are also interested in Kabak but no official bid yet.”

Premier League proven

With Liverpool without the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez last season, Kabak was thrust straight into the deep end by Jurgen Klopp, but that certainly didn’t faze him, with the centre-back’s maturity something that has been previously lauded.

Thomas Hitzlersperger once commented: “It’s incredible how worldy-wise he is for his age. It’s astonishing. I see him every day and am amazed at how he mature he is.”

In fact, Klopp even revealed that Schalke boss David Wagner said “he would be a future captain”, while Arsenal’s former head of recruitment Sven Mislintat was equally glowing when talking about him.

He told The Athletic: “I told Jurgen that he’s a top lad. Top mentality, top character, top aggression. He’s a (Dejan) Lovren-type player. Very good in the air, both defensively and in the opposition box.

“He played his best stuff for us (at Stuttgart). He hasn’t been able to show how good he is at Schalke. He still needs to learn but he has all the skills for Klopp to make a success of him.”

With Liverpool having decided not to take up their option to sign Kabak in the summer, the £22.5m-rated ace could well be a shrewd signing for the Magpies.

Fans will surely be buzzing with the prospect of a Premier League proven player arriving at St James’ Park if Newcastle do in fact follow up on their interest in the centre-back.

Meanwhile, Newcastle United have made contact with this Bundesliga star…

Steven Gerrard’s reported hopes of bringing Heerenveen midfielder Joey Veerman to Ibrox this summer look to have been handed a huge boost after the Eredivisie club’s captain confirmed that the 22-year-old was likely to leave ahead of next season, with Rangers name-checked as a potential destination for the Dutchman.

Rangers have been heavily linked with a move for the youngster in recent weeks and it now seems likely that he will be on the move in the upcoming transfer window.

Heerenveen club captain Henk Veerman spoke to Dutch paper Voetbalprimeur recently, saying: “I’ve read things about Atalanta, Rangers, PSV, Ajax and AZ.

“I expect him to go to one of those clubs. I also think that Joey will add value for any club in the Netherlands.

”If things change enormously (at the club). That is a serious problem for me.”

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Veerman clearly rates his younger namesake highly and believes that he will be on the move this summer, which is no surprise after his superb performances in the Eredivisie this season.

In 31 Dutch top-flight appearances, the midfielder has contributed an impressive seven goals and 10 assists, which has helped him earn an excellent 7.40 rating from WhoScored.

If he had produced the same level of performance in Gerrard’s Rangers side this season, he would be ranked as their joint-second best performer alongside Ryan Kent and Joe Aribo, which emphasises just how impressive he has been for Heerenveen.

The £7.65m-rated midfielder certainly won’t come cheap, but if Gerrard wants to add players with genuine Champions League quality ahead of next season, then Veerman may well be his best bet.

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Therefore, after this latest boost, Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson should act quickly to ensure that Ibrox is Veerman’s summer destination, as otherwise they risk missing out on a “really good” player (in the words of Michael Mols) with obvious potential to Champions League rivals such as Atalanta or Ajax.

In other news… Wilson can deliver Gerrard a Rangers “masterstroke” with summer swoop for 21 y/o gem

Leeds United will make Nottingham Forest forward Brennan Johnson a ‘prominent target’, should Jesse Marsch keep the Whites in the Premier League, according to The Daily Mail.

The Lowdown: Johnson starring at Forest

Johnson, who can play anywhere across the front three, has scored 15 times in 43 Championship games this season.

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The 20-year-old has now netted 29 senior goals during his career and has played a key role in Forest’s push for promotion to the Premier League.

As is stands, the Wales international will be entering the final 12 months of his City Ground deal in the summer, and it looks as if Leeds are still keen after Victor Orta revealed he tried to sign the winger when he was just 16.

The Latest: Leeds links

The Daily Mail shared an update regarding Leeds and Johnson on Tuesday afternoon.

They claimed that the Whites will join Brentford and Newcastle in the race to sign the forward, valued at £20m, in the summer.

However, the report adds that Marsch will need to keep Leeds in the top flight and Forest will have to remain in the Championship for a transfer to have any chance of materialising.

The Verdict: Next few weeks key

It looks as if Andrea Radrizzani and the 49ers group are willing to reward Marsch, should he guide the Whites to safety, by splashing the cash ahead of his first full season in charge.

However, there is still a lot of work to be done, and you could argue there is a growing possibility Leeds and Forest will be swapping divisions over the coming weeks.

Hopefully, that isn’t the case, and if the Whites want to sign Johnson, they’ll be keeping a close eye on Forest’s automatic and playoff promotion bids in the second tier.

In other news: ‘Big blow…’ – Sky Sports man now reacts to ‘dramatic’ confirmed Leeds news for run-in.